The tibial nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve that passes alongside the tibia and into the foot. At the ankle, the tibial nerve is relatively close to the surface of the skin. Stimulation of the tibial nerve can be used to treat urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, pelvic pain, and other conditions.
These stimulation treatments typically involve the use of a percutaneous electrode or device that is inserted into the subject's ankle. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,474 (Loeb et al.) discloses the use of micro-stimulators that are inserted beneath the skin of the perineum and/or adjacent the tibial nerve to treat incontinence, pelvic pain, and fecal incontinence. U.S. Publication No. 2011/0301670 (Gross et al.) discloses the use of percutaneous electrodes that are placed in contact with the tibial nerve to deliver electrical stimulation signals to the nerve to treat polyneuropathy. Uroplasty Inc. (Minnesota, USA) manufactures the Urgent® PC Neuromodulation System, which delivers electrical stimulation to the tibial nerve using a percutaneous needle electrode to treat urinary urgency, urinary frequency (i.e., overactive bladder), and urge incontinence.